"Awakening" the Rivers - Part 1: On the Mekong

(QBĐT) - Luxury cruise ships gliding smoothly on the Mekong River not only carry the excitement of tourists to explore, but also nurture the hope that the Southwest Delta will become more and more fertile. When the La Marguerite cruise ship glides past peaceful riverside villages, the scene suddenly reminds us of the green rivers of our hometown Quang Binh . We cherish the hope that one day in the not too distant future, luxury cruise ships will appear on our hometown rivers, telling the story of the journey to the open sea.

The Mekong River is full of alluvium this season. The water flows out to the sea. The La Marguerite cruise ship glides through the muddy water of the flood season, among the water hyacinths drifting aimlessly, then anchors at the Co Chien River - a branch of the Tien River passing through Vinh Long province. The fertile West appears on both banks like a nostalgic picture, with green villages stretching far and wide and cities sparkling in the bright lights. Behind that green look, are stories of life and people's fates closely tied to the sweet river for generations.

Potential from the legendary river

As one of the largest rivers in the world , the Mekong flows through 6 countries, with a length of more than 4,300km. This legendary river has a wild, lyrical beauty and a rich ecosystem with profound cultural values. From the riverside villages in Laos and Cambodia to the vast delta in Vietnam, each section of the river contains its own unique cultural and historical values. For centuries, generations of people along both banks of the river have relied on the abundant water of the Mekong. The lush villages thrive from the generosity of the mother river.

La Marguerite cruise on the Co Chien River, through Vinh Long province.

River tourism is one of the most potential products that the Mekong River brings to the Mekong Delta. Luxury cruise tours on the Mekong River have become an attractive destination for domestic and international tourists.

With the journey through provinces such as An Giang, Vinh Long, Can Tho or Tra Vinh on cruise ships such as La Marguerite, Mekong Princess or Aqua Mekong... tourists have the opportunity to admire the beauty of immense rice fields, green fruit gardens and peaceful fishing villages along the river. These cruise tours do not stop at sightseeing but also combine with indigenous cultural experiences, visiting ancient pagodas, traditional craft villages to help tourists understand more about the life and culture of the people in the West River region.

The typical floating markets of the Southwest region such as Cai Be, Phong Dien or Cai Rang are also must-see destinations. Here, visitors can experience the typical life with boats full of fruits and goods, evoking the vibrant image of the daily life of the river residents. In addition, the development of tourism products combined with ecological experiences is also being promoted by the tourism industry in many localities.

Wetlands and riverside nature reserves are ideal destinations for ecotourism tours. Visitors can immerse themselves in the wild nature, watch rare migratory birds and rich flora and fauna. From river to sea, this journey is not only about sightseeing but also offers the opportunity to experience the rich cultures on both sides of the river.

Tourists visit the brick and pottery village in Mang Thit district, Vinh Long.

Anchored at Co Chien, stopped at Vinh Long

The Co Chien River is one of the major tributaries of the Mekong River as it flows through the Mekong Delta. The Co Chien River branches off from the Tien River (one of the two main tributaries of the Mekong River in Vietnam) and flows through the provinces of Vinh Long and Tra Vinh before emptying into the East Sea. After a journey down the Mekong River, passing through many villages, the La Marguerite cruise turns into Co Chien and anchors so that visitors have the opportunity to explore the fertile land of Vinh Long.

Here, visitors travel by tourist boat, down the river branches, to explore the Vinh Long Temple of Literature, the only temple that still retains its original features to this day. This national historical-cultural relic has been present in the spiritual and cultural life of the people of Vinh Long, becoming a part of the soul that shapes the shape of the land along the Co Chien River. In the ancient space of the Temple of Literature, visitors can enjoy the semi-professional art of singing, a typical feature of Vinh Long.

A special feature of the journey to explore Vinh Long by La Marguerite cruise is the experience of the brick and pottery craft village in Mang Thit district. This craft village attracts tourists by the stories of turning soil into sophisticated handicrafts, by the ancient features, the strange appearance of old brick kilns covered with the color of time.

Brick and pottery village in Mang Thit district, Vinh Long.

Mr. Phan Van Giau, Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Vinh Long province, said that Vinh Long has great potential for river tourism and the locality is currently investing in infrastructure systems to develop tourism with characteristics associated with the river region. In recent years, the province has focused on developing many new tourism products associated with rivers such as river tourism to visit Coco home (Hoa Ninh commune, Long Ho district); visit the brick and pottery craft village in Thay Cai canal (Mang Thit district), and unique historical and cultural relics in the area.

Tourists on the La Marguerite cruise experience cultural tourism products of Vinh Long province.

“Sail”

The trip down the Mekong River on the La Marguerite cruise ship to explore Vinh Long was an idea that came from the writing contest “Stories of the Rivers” organized by VietNamNet newspaper. This is also a tourism product that Focus Travel has surveyed and is about to put into operation. This trip is also expected to create proposals and solutions for the protection, exploitation and sustainable development of rivers in Vietnam. This time, La Marguerite’s visitors include representatives of tourism management agencies, businesses, tourism experts, journalists, writers, etc.

They are river lovers, attached to rivers and have a desire to join hands to “awaken” their hometown rivers. On the La Marguerite cruise, seminars on river tourism development were held to come up with ideas for sustainable exploitation of river tourism values.

Experts at the workshop frankly affirmed that compared to the potential of the rich river system, the exploitation of river tourism in Vietnam is still developing at an average level, not really commensurate. Mr. Dang Bao Hieu, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Focus Travel, is one of the pioneers in exploiting river tourism in Vietnam, especially on the Mekong River. With a strategic vision and passion for ecotourism, he has continuously researched and developed creative tourism products, bringing visitors unique experiences on this legendary river.

Mr. Hieu said that the exploitation of river tourism products in Vietnam has only stopped at the “water’s edge”, not going into depth. To develop long-term and sustainably, exploiting the rivers to the maximum efficiency, tourism businesses must “set sail” to the open sea and need to have breakthroughs in products and infrastructure development. In particular, river tourism must be developed in a sustainable direction, ensuring environmental protection and preserving the freshwater ecosystem of rivers, preserving indigenous cultures.

With more than 2,300 large and small rivers, Vietnam has many favorable conditions to develop river tourism tours. However, “awakening” the rivers with long-term strategies for tourism development must be associated with environmental protection, minimizing negative impacts from humans and climate change. This not only helps preserve the rivers but also ensures sustainable livelihoods for people living along the river banks in the future.

Dieu Huong

>>> Article 2: Quang Binh river tourism: When will it reach out to the "big sea"?

Source: https://www.baoquangbinh.vn/phong-su/202410/danh-thuc-nhung-dong-song-bai-1-tren-dong-me-kong-2221660/